Mesothelioma Treatment Guidelines
One of the most important decisions that one faces after being diagnosed with mesothelioma is choosing what kind of treatment to receive. If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you and your doctor should work together to decide what treatment to participate in.
Become Informed on Mesothelioma Guidelines
Because mesothelioma is a serious, potentially fatal asbestos disease, determining what treatment to participate in can often be an overwhelming process. That is why it is important to become as informed as you possibly can by:
- Seeking multiple medical opinions about treatments and their effectiveness.
- Asking doctors to recommend informational resources such as websites or books.
- Doing your own research, read and study all you can about mesothelioma treatments.
Staying informed will help you understand the reality of your situation and help prevent the tendency to feel overwhelmed.
Guidelines for Choosing Your Mesothelioma Treatment
When deciding on treatments with your doctor, the following factors should be considered:
- Stage and location of the cancer
- Age of the patient
- Patient's overall health
- Potential risks and benefits of the mesothelioma treatment
Mesothelioma Treatment Options
Several different types of treatment, traditional and alternative, are available to patients. Most patients participate in a combination of multiple treatments, usually including a combination of traditional treatments complimented by alternative treatments.
Traditional Mesothelioma Treatments
Listed below are some of the more traditional mesothelioma treatments:
- Surgery- a pneumonectomy or pleurectomy may be performed to remove diseased tissues
- Radiation- may be performed in lieu of or alongside surgery to kill off cancerous or abnormal cells in a specific target area
- Chemotherapy - a more aggressive form of treatment used to kill cancerous cells throughout the body
- Palliative treatments - may be used to alleviate pain by draining excess fluid from the affected areas, or by various other methods
New and Alternative Mesothelioma Treatments
The best way to learn about alternative treatments is to consult with your doctor and by doing your own additional research. Most doctors will recommend that treatments which are considered to be alternative should be used to compliment, not replace, traditional treatments that have already proven their effectiveness.
Some examples of alternative treatments include:
- Immunotherapy - a type of treatment in which the patient's own immune system is 'tricked' into killing cancer cells
- Photodynamic therapy – this treatment involves the use of light energy to kill cancer cells
- Intensity Modulated Radiation therapy - an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy that utilizes computer-controlled x-ray accelerators to deliver precise radiation doses to a malignant tumor or specific areas within the tumor
- Gene therapy - involves using genetic material to specifically target cancer cells and make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy treatment
- New chemotherapy agents – new forms and variants of traditional chemotherapy have been developed. Your doctor should be able to explain the different types of chemotherapy that is available.
Whatever treatments you choose, be sure to seek the council of a physician who specializes in mesothelioma cancer treatment before making any decisions. For more information regarding your options, please contact the Mesothelioma Treatment Center today.
